Circuit closer



W. A. SPECHT CIRCUIT CLOSER May 2, 1939.

Original Filed May 16, 19:55

METER I N VENTOR WALTERA. SPECHT 7 f I Patented May 2, 1939 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFIE Original application May 16, 1935, Serial No.

21,828. Divided and this application December 16, 1935, Serial No.54,723

2 Claims.

This application is a division of my pending application, Serial No.21,828, filed May 16, 1935.

The present invention relates to an improved device adapted for use inconnection with a meter to operate a recording instrument locatedremotely from the meter and whereby the reading on the meter may benoted at a remote point therefrom.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivecircuit breaker adapted for use to control the flow of current to adevice to be intermittently supplied with current, which circuit breakeroperates in timed relation to a suitable driving means such as theoperating mechanism of a meter, whereby the supply of current to therecording instrument is accurately controlled.

A further object is to provide a circuit breaker comprising a toothedmember of non-conductive material having segmental conductor platessecured thereto and adapted to alternately open and close a plurality ofcircuits, thereby to cause intermittent current flow through thecircuits.

A further object is to provide a circuit breaker which is extremelysimple and inexpensive in construction, whereby it may be manufacturedat small cost, and which is positive in operation, and is well-suitedfor use in connection with a meter to intermittently control the supplyof current to a recording instrument located remotely therefrom, wherebythe reading of the meter is accurately recorded on the remotely locatedinstrument.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in theannexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing there has been disclosed a structuredesigned to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is tobe understood that the invention is not confined to the exact featuresshown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view showing the invention applied to anordinary meter;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 22 of Figure1, showing the general construction of the circuit breaker;

Figure 3 is a front view of the circuit breaker only, with the housingremoved therefrom, and showing one of the conductor plates in electricalengagement with the pinion connected to the power source; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, with the partspositioned substantially as shown in Figure 3.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there isillustrated in Figure 1, for purposes of disclosure, a conventional gasmeter, generally indicated by the numeral 2, comprising a casing 3having a window or opening 4 in a wall thereof, through which thereading on the meter may be read. Meters, such as are commonly used formeasuring gas, electric current, and water, are usually located inbasements or in out-of-the-way places, and therefore require that themeter reader enter the building in order to record the reading thereof.It is often objectionable to meter readers to thus enter the building,and it is therefore desirable that a recording instrument be provided inconnection with the usual meter which may be located in a convenientplace remote from the meter as, for example, in a window, whereby thereader may take the readings of the meter from the exterior of thebuild- Such a recording instrument is diagrammatically illustrated at 5in Figure 1, and is described in detail in my pending application,Serial No. 21,828, and is therefore thought unnecessary to hereinillustrate and describe the same in detail.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the meansprovided for operatively connecting the recording instrument 5 to theoperating mechanism of the meter, to cause it to operate in timedrelation thereto, and whereby the reading on the meter will beaccurately recorded on the instrument 5.

The means provided for thus operatively connecting the recordinginstrument to the meter comprises a circuit closer, generally indicatedby the numeral 60, and shown comprising a toothed wheel ll of a suitablenon-conductive material, To the opposite sides of this wheel are securedoppositely disposed current conducting plates 18 and 19, as best shownin Figure 2. These current conducting plates are insulated from oneanother and are shown provided with trunnions 80 supported in suitablebearings 8| provided in the frame members 6| of the frame of the circuitcloser, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 The bearings 8| areelectrically connected to suitable terminals 90 secured to the framemembers 6|, whereby the conductor plates 78 and 79 are also electricallyconnected to the terminals 90.

The rotatable member or wheel I! and conductor plates 78 and 19 havetheir peripheries provided with suitable gear teeth, as best shown inFigures 3 and l, which are arranged to mesh with a pinion 82 secured toa shaft 83, one end of which is supported in a bearing 84 mounted in oneof the frame members 6| of the circuit closer and having a terminal post85 secured thereto. A similar bearing 86 is mounted in the other framemember 6! of the circuit closer to support the opposite end of the shaft83. A gear 87 is secured to the projecting end of the shaft 83 and isshown insulated therefrom by suitable insulating material 88. A suitablepinion 89 constantly engages the gear wheel 87 and has a shaft 9!connecting it to the usual operating mechanism of the meter 2, indicatedat 38 in Figure 1.

When the novel circuit closer herein disclosed, is used in connectionwith an electrically operated recording instrument, as illustrated inFigure 1, it is electrically connected thereto by suitable wires 23, 25,and 21, connected respectively to the terminal posts 9i! and 85. Thesecondary side of a suitable transformer 66 is connected in the wire 2'!and the primary side of the transformer is connected to a supply circuit61, as illustrated in Figure 1.

When the circuit closer is used in connection with a meter as hereinillustrated, its shaft 9! will be constantly rotated by the operatingmechanism 38 of the meter, when the latter is operating. Such rotationof the shaft 9! will cause rotation of the member or wheel Tl because ofits driving connection with the pinion 82, whereupon the conductingplate 18 and i9 will be rotated to alternately move into and out ofelectrical engagement with the pinion 82, whereby current is alternatelycaused to flow through the wires 23 and 25 leading to the recordinginstrument 5. This results because of the pinion 82 being electricallyconnected to the power wire 21.

The circuit closer 60 is very simple and inexpensive in construction andit is to be noted that it comprises no brush contacts or other slidingcontacts. The circuits through the wires 23 and 25 are alternatelyclosed by the pinion 82 alternately engaging the toothed peripheries ofthe conductor plates 18 and 19 as the shaft rotates, thus providing avery simple and efficient circuit breaker, and one which issubstantially positive in operation.

In the foregoing, I have described the circuit closer 60 as being usedin connection with a meter for controlling the flow of current to arecording instrument located remotely therefrom. It is to be understood,however, that the circuit closer may be used for other purposes whereapplicable, without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A circuit closer comprising a pair of spaced parallel frame membersof insulating material, a gear of non-conductive material mountedbetween said frame members, bearings of conductive material secured insaid frame members and having means whereby a pair of electric wires maybe connected thereto, segmental conductor plates secured to the gear andhaving pivots mounted in said bearings and electrically connecting thesegments to said bearings, and a pinion adapted to be connected to asource of electric energy, said pinion meshing with said gear andalternately engaging the conductor plates whereby said conductor platesare alternately energized to control current flow through said wires.

2. A circuit closer comprising a pair of spaced parallel frame membersof insulating material, a gear of non-conductive material mountedbetween said frame members, bearings of conductive material secured insaid frame members and each having a terminal post to which electricwires may be connected a plurality of segmental conductor plates securedto the gear and having trunnions fixed thereto and received in saidbearings, a shaft rotatably supported in said frame members and having apinion secured thereto, said pinion meshing with said gear andalternately engaging the conductor plates, and means whereby said pinionmay be connected to a source of electric energy whereby said conductorplates may be alternately energized to control current flow through saidwires.

WALTER A. SPECHT.

